The Suggs

Chapter 14

"You really do care about him, don't you?" I ask Joe as soon as I see Caspar, standing in front of the food place. Joe nods his head slowly. "Yeah of course, he is my best friend. Like a brother or something. Well, that sounds kind of stupid, but.." I cut him off. "I think it's cute." I quickly say when we come close to Zoe, Alfie and Caspar.

"Hi! Have you ordered food already?" Joe asks as he walks towards them. I wonder how quickly Joe can change his appearance. That's probably one of the reasons he is such a good youtuber. I'm happy he starts the conversation because I'm not able to think about anything else than that kiss and what it means.

The rain is tapping on the window of the car. We're riding to a restaurant. I watch Joe driving. I still think it looks weird, him, driving a car. Sometimes he seems a 6 year old boy and now he's driving a car.

My head leans against the window. I watch to the sky, it's dark gray as it's late already. My hair is still wet and leaves a funny patron on the window when I lift up my head. I think back and relive the moment in the pool. I still can't fully believe it. I think about the past few weeks. Does he likes me in a 'relationship' way? Or did he just kissed me and it doesn't mean anything? And who is going to tell Zoe in the end?

I turn around and I find Zoe in the back of the car listening to music. I've no clue how she would react. Maybe happy, because she is happy for us, but maybe she is going to be disappointed, as she might be thinking she will be the 3rd wheel. She won't be, definitely not. I never neglect my friends, ever. I immediately think of Lia. I haven't spoken to her in days. We aren't hanging out often anymore either. I feel so guilty.

"She has Max though."

Joe looks at me. "What were you saying?" I realize I just said it out loud. "Nothing. I was just thinking and I accidentally said what I thought." He taps with his fingers on the steering wheel. "You were thinking about Lia and Max, weren't you?" I nod and shrug shortly.

"Yes, I haven't spoken to them in such a long time. Well, compared to the past.." He puts his hand on my leg. "They will understand. Otherwise they aren't good friends. Don't worry about it." I smile and nod. "True, but still... I've been hanging out with you and Zoe so much lately, I totally forgot about them. I even haven't told them about my dad." He keeps looking at the road, but I can see he's raising his eyebrows. "You didn't told me either."

"Fuck."

Zoe starts listening to the conversation now. I know I have to tell him everything now and only thinking about my dad makes me sad. I haven't seen him, neither my mum, after the 'accident'. I even don't know if my mother is conscious now. I don't think my dad would do anything really bad to her, but I didn't expect all of this from him either.

I start to tell Joe everything, from the first evening when he brought me home when my dad dragged me into my room, to the last time when he tried to attack me. Joe has listened to the whole story.
"You're amazing." He says and smiles. I raise one eyebrow. My eyes are still full with tears from telling everything.

"What?" I whisper. "You've heard me." I'm confused, but I don't want to talk about it and I use it as the last word. I try to stop thinking about it. Joe puts music on to kill the silence and after 5 minutes we're at the restaurant.

"That was delicious!" Zoe says with her mouth still full. I've finished too, just like Joe. Caspar is still eating his Pizza - he has a serious obsession - and Alfie is eating the last bit. I sigh and look to Zoe. "I've eaten way to much, I don't need a dessert. What about you?" Zoe looks at her stomach. "No? Nothing? Well, my stomach has no requests anymore." I laugh about my friend who's talking with her stomach.

Joe and Alfie don't want dessert either. Caspar wants one, of course. "You can get an ice cream and you can eat it in the car alright?" He nods. "Alfie, can I eat an ice cream in your car?" Alfie smiles and nods. "As long my car is clean afterwards." We order an ice cream for Caspar, pay the account and walk back to the car.